This archive report was first published on 12 August 2019.
The Hidden Struggle of Uniformed Officers ¶
On October 7, 2015, a sudden loud bang shook Constable K. Talam and his convoy in Bulla, Mandera County. The incident left him and his colleagues shaken, and for Talam, the trauma still haunts him today.
Although the attack occurred over seven years ago, Talam's experience is a stark reminder of the mental health challenges faced by uniformed officers. He is one of the many members of the uniformed forces suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that affects one in every four members of the uniformed forces, according to the World Health Organisation.
Research indicates that the pressures of law enforcement put police officers at risk of high blood pressure, insomnia, depression, PTSD, which eventually leads to sociopathic behaviour. The National Alliance on Mental Health notes that at least one in four police officers has suicidal thoughts at some point in their life, and that the rate of suicide among police officers is four times that of firefighters.
Psychologist Mary Wahome attributes the high prevalence of PTSD among uniformed officers to their isolated lifestyle and the societal expectation that they be strong and tough. ‘These are human beings who have feelings; they love; they get hurt; they have emotions. When the public and the authorities expect them to be tough, they lack who to turn to,' she said.
Despite the availability of data on the issue, the military has been reluctant to discuss PTSD among its soldiers. Major (Rtd) Lucy Wairimu, who has been instrumental in dealing with PTSD among soldiers, said data on the disorder was ‘the military’s secret’.
